Uma's Breath

If you like this video and want to support my work you may tip me BAT by downloading the Brave Browser at the following link brave.com/bru546.
In late December of 2012, Uma Hulet and David McGough approached me about creating an IndieGoGo campaign video to help them raise money to film their pilgrimage to India. I did. They returned home with footage of their journey, thoughts captured, impressions recorded and turned the footage over to me to edit. I watched and listened. I knew that there was a story to tell, but I was unsure about the structure. Chronologically, there were missing pieces and there was little to no B roll to accompany the narrative material that existed. A linear approach was impossible. I sat with the material, watched and listened to all of the clips, in detail, repeatedly. Tentatively, I began to cut a few clips together, just to see what transpired.
At this point, Uma came to be with the idea of structuring the film around Patanjali's Yoga Sutra 2.1, Sadhana Pada, the practice of Kriya Yoga, which contists of Tapasya, Isvara Pranidhana and Svadhyaya. Using the three thematic elements as the structuring device gave me permission to explore non-linear storytelling and use the language of film and it's visual and auditory juxtapositions, along with Uma's language, to explore some profound and ancient concepts.